Late Season Hog Hunting....

Late Season Hog Hunting

As the case with most hunters, once deer season is over, I find myself lost.  It's not really fishing weather, deer season just ended, and unless you have a bird dog with land to hunt quail......you are most likely done till September in most places.  Enter hog hunting........with LOTS of opportunity.  Most public lands hold at least some hogs if not large populations.  Some of the properties we have hunted hold several sounders IF you are willing to put the time in.  You will notice a trend with many of my posts and that is, "if you are willing to put the time in."  

I decided to go to North Alabama for a late season hog hunt and possibly beat a cold front into the woods.  Well, as luck would have it, the cold front beat me.  Icy roads and snowy conditions made travel on roads very difficult if not dangerous but the hunting was excellent.  It's a lot easier to spot black hogs with a backdrop of snow.

We stalked this pig down after walking roughly 7 miles, cutting several different tracks, and finding the hog within a couple miles of the truck.  Most hogs will feed a large portion of the day but the big male hogs are typically more solitary with makes them harder to predict.  Large sounders of females with piglets or juveniles(young hogs) are usually what you will find first.  The best places to check are wet area's or anywhere there's water, making digging easy for the pigs.  After that, its all about the food.  Pressure from other hunters or dog hunters will also effect the movements of hogs.  Those pigs who receive lots of pressure will turn nocturnal and in some cases, completely leave an area when shot at.  So make your shots count!

The reasons to kill hogs in the US, let alone Alabama, are numerous.  Not only do they run most of the other wildlife off but they are like vacuum cleaners in the woods.  They eat literally everything and are quite aggressive about it.  They will excavate your food plots in one night, root up/kill valuable trees, cause erosion issues around waterways, and damage roads.  Beyond all these reason's are the fact the females and young pigs are fairly good to eat.  The big males also make good European mounts or at least the tusks are cool to have.  Wild pigs carry a plethora of diseases that ARE transferable to humans.  When gutting or processing a hog, ALWAYS wear rubber gloves.  Even a small nick or deep scratch can cause you great pain, many months of antibiotics, and worse in some cases.  Many auto part stores like auto zone carry rubber gloves for $10.00 and its a pack of 50.

The above picture is what the hog I shot was doing.  He was rooting up a large section of dirt below some young trees approximately 18-20" deep..  To the best of my knowledge, he was after grubs or worms....maybe even roots.  Pigs are notorious diggers and what they can do in just a few hours time is truly impressive.  However, to be that industrious, they must focus on their task.  This leaves them vulnerable to being stalked.  With his head and front shoulders in the hole, I literally walked directly up to this hog, shooting him from 15 feet.  While most hogs will not allow you to simply walk directly up to them (snow and an extremely involved hog help), it is possible to use stalk hunting techniques

In many cases, one can hear a group of hogs rooting around or fighting long before they can actually see them.  Hogs don't have the best eyesight in my experience but what they lack in sight, they more then make-up in their ability to smell.  If you don't have a good wind when approaching a group of hogs, forget about it.  Hogs have such a keen sense of smell, they can almost smell you up-wind (I kid, but only slightly).  This is also something that can be done with a friend or friends since stealth is not necessarily a premium here.  When approaching a group of hogs, its normal for both people in a hunting party to get quality shots off, possibly more, before losing sight.

There are still lots of things to hunt in the woods and it doesn't cost a ton of money to do it.  Most public hunting lands are open to hog hunting nearly year round and don't cost anything since most of us have already purchased a WMA tag.  In addition, most farmers will gladly grant you hunting permission during the off-season if you can take some hogs out of the woods or prevent his fields from being destroyed.  This is a resource that breeds non-stop, all year, and can start as soon as 9 months old.  Each litter can produce up to double digit offspring making these animals VERY difficult to control. 

Be safe and go kill some bacon!!!

Alligator mount: Finally got my new trophy back from the taxidermist!

I have been waiting since October to get my alligator head back from the taxidermist.  I sent my gator down to Deland, FL to a guy named John Walker (John Walker Taxidermy) and the estimated time to complete was 3-4 months.  It took roughly 3 months to get it back.  I am really happy with the product and after going back/forth about getting a skin-on mount, I can't see doing it any other way.  I have a 9' alligator skull that is European mounted with just bleached bone and this is WAY cooler.  I can't foresee killing a bigger alligator because despite the 12' length, she had the skull of a 13.5' alligator (nicknamed Punkin head) which is an anomaly by itself.  The likelihood I kill a 14' alligator is near zero so this is most likely a lifetime trophy and a one time deal.  Regardless, it's very reasonable if you can get around the shipping to the facility.  Shipping of frozen head from Alabama to Florida @ 80lbs next day:  $364.00.   Shipping of finished product from taxidermist:  $65.00.  The price of the heads can vary depending on length and mine was the maximum amount charged at $450.00.  I was lucky and had a friend drop my head by the facility direct for $100.00 in gas money so I have $615.00 total in mine.  Considering the scope of work and quality of product, I find this very reasonable considering what a similar product can be. 

This is the only picture we took with both of us in it.  We hauled the gator to the edge of the river once we killed it for a quick photo and used the video feature on our phone since we were the only two people for miles.

This is me and despite the smile, I will suffer from heat exhaustion later in the day.  I jumped in the river after this picture despite the fact I just hauled a 12' alligator out of it.  South Alabama is no where to be without shade for 5 hours during the summer and the hot part of the day.  We ran out of water to drink 1.5 hours into the fight.



















The final product.  It is felt lined front and bottom with plaster inserts for the throat and the bottom jaw.  Its skin is cured and the bone/skin is the original.  No plastic or carbon fiber replica here.  Epoxy is used to give it that wet/oily look like when they are alive.  As I said before, I would do this again and I am really glad I chose this route.  A trophy of a lifetime and one I can harass my wife with for years to come.




For more information on the mount go here:

John Walker Gators

Seem to be good folk.

Hunting the rut on both sides of the state line...

Georgia vs. Alabama

There exists a unique opportunity for those who live close to the Alabama/Georgia state line.  I have always considered myself an opportunist when it comes to hunting or fishing and I try to use current information when making decisions rather then rely upon previous successes.  That is often easier said then done.  Those proven deer stands and time tested honey holes have their place, don't get me wrong, but they should be your starting point rather then your preconceived destination.  That being said, a good hunter should always be looking for the next "hot spot" and anticipating what the deer will move to next.  That stand of woods next to camp nobody ever visits........It might just be the best spot on the whole property.

Back to my original topic:  An awesome opportunity exists for those of us who live a reasonable distance from Georgia, that we can hunt two separate ruts, in the same year.  Call it double dipping if you will.  I have been doing it for years and have enjoyed the excitement that comes with double the doe chasing action.  The deer in Georgia were restocked with Northern strain whitetails and as such, rut in the middle of November.  It is also noted that Georgia's deer season opens in the middle of September.  Alabama was restocked with Alabama strain whitetail deer and most notably, from North Alabama.  These southern strain deer rut from the end of December through January depending on what county you are from.   The Alabama season begins with bow season during the middle of October.

I usually start hunting in Georgia during the VERY hot bow season through the rut which normally ends around the beginning of December, and then swap to Alabama for pre/rut/post action.  I put a lot of preparation work into my duel season and it works like a charm.  I recommend taking advantage of these opportunities if you are as crazy about whitetails as I am.  I would also like to mention that I do not rent/lease land in Alabama because I hunt public land nearly 90% of the time.  Just because you don't have thousands of dollars to spend on hunting land doesn't mean you can't kill big deer consistently........if you don't mind the work.

My Georgia deer season so far...........

Its been a terrific year so far for me.  Between alligator season and deer season, I have a decent size taxidermy bill going.  For those of you who feel like you can't make it happen or your land doesn't produce "big deer," go back to the drawing board.  A lot of times, doing your homework when it comes to the land you hunt can make all the difference in the world.  A good example of this is the deer pictured above.  When it was hot and everyone else was heading back to the truck to find the AC button, I was in a cut-over in 90 degree heat.  That made all the difference.  When the weather got cool and the bucks started to get frisky, I knew exactly where to be.  Luck is where preparation and hard work meet.

Alligator Hunting in Georgia 2014.....

-Our 2014 Alligator Hunt in Georgia-

It took me four years of waiting, accruing priority points, before I was finally able to draw an alligator tag in the state of Georgia my fifth year.  I have been on hunts before in the state of Alabama but have always held the belief that the Georgia side held the bigger alligator territory when concerning the Chattahoochee River.  We have all heard about the 15' alligator killed on the Alabama River but I was more interested in the East Alabama/West Georgia - Lake Eufaula corridor gators because that's where I live.  Our past hunting experience includes a 9'+ gator I killed in 2010:

An 8' 10" gator my brother-in-law shot in 2011:

We felt pretty good about our success to this point but we never had the opportunity to tangle with a true monster.  Both of the above alligators came in years where the success ratio for all hunters, all gators, was below 20% regardless of size.  Lake Eufaula is a hard place to hunt on the Alabama side due to the small area you can hunt.  Most people don't realize that Georgia owns/operates the river and the lake up to the channel marker buoys.  The deep channel follows the Alabama side the majority of the time which eliminates much of the lake for hunting.  Take out the area's around Lake Point Wildlife Refuge and it really narrows the focus further.  The fact we were able to get two in the 9' class without help from guides or paid-for operators was even better.  I felt we were ready to take the next step and see what we could really do.  Thus began our journey into the much anticipated Georgia side of Lake Eufaula.

The season opens at midnight the Saturday of opening day.  Any hunter who wants to venture out onto the water in the early morning hours is free to do so.  Anxious to get started, we were out on the water at midnight getting a good feel for the area.  We saw lots of gators in the 6-7' range but no monsters.  I was determined to get a big alligator and not settle.  We left the lake at 3am with nothing to show for our time.

Fast forward to Saturday:  We find a gator laying in one of the rivers and it is easily the biggest alligator we had seen.  We first snagged it with a fishing rod because it wouldn't let us get close enough to shoot it with a bow.  Once we had it snagged, the fight was on.  It swam all over the river bed looking for something to tangle us in but never did.  The big gator resorted to hanging to the bottom for long lengths of time without coming up.  At this point we started using hand thrown weighted snatch hooks to move the process along.  Once we snatch hooked him, we were able to make him move and draw him to the top.  This cat/mouse game of getting him hauled off the bottom and him only staying up for seconds at a time went on for hours.  Eventually the big gator gave us a shot with the bow and I placed a good arrow behind his head, in the neck.  This turned the tide in our favor.  I hauled the exhausted gator up beside the boat and delivered the final shot with my pistol for the kill.  The alligator measured 12' exactly in length.  We didn't have any way to weigh it but it was definitely 500lbs+.  Below are a few pictures we were able to take of the hunt:

Advice for anyone wanting to go:

To those who have never been before, alligator hunting looks a lot like hard work.  I don't know why it's so popular because every time I go, I am exhausted.  Be prepared with good equipment.  I can't overstate that enough.  To tangle with a big gator takes big equipment.  Go buy the Big Game version Bow reel from AMS because it has a detachable buoy that disconnects from the bow after the shot.  Practice with it before you get there.  You shouldn't be pulling it out of the package at the boat ramp.  Make a bunch of weighted snatch hooks or buy them........ AT LEAST size 10 or better.  Seems like a big hook but its not the size you are after as much as the weight it can hold.  Smaller hooks will simply bend under 200lbs of pressure.  Always use a top jaw line BEFORE you kill the alligator.  If you don't, you will be hauling it off the bottom, limp, as dead weight.  Nobody likes that.  Buy the necessary licenses as you will get checked.  I have never been where I wasn't checked at least once in either state.  Don't go in a small boat.  A 20' boat gets small with a 10-12' gator next to it.  I see people trying to go in john boats and it makes we wonder about natural selection.  Take a friend.  This is a team sport where you will need all the help you can get before and after you kill it.  A three man team works best but a two man team is possible if you are experienced.  Be patient.  This isn't easy.  An alligator can hold it's breath for 4+ hours with no problem.  If hunting at night, be quiet.  Everything you do above the water can be heard below the water.  An alligator doesn't like a spotlight shined in it's eyes any more then you.  Be conservative with the light and don't point the light directly at it eye.  The biggest error I see people make is giving up too soon.  If you haven't seen him in over an hour, he hasn't escaped.  He is waiting for you to leave.  Be safe and Choot Em'.

Coosa River Kayak Trip in July, 2014.....

We went with friends down the Coosa on Saturday.  I was surprised at how crowded it was.  Every hour brought a new school bus full of young/old river adventurers.  I had always wondered if the rental places did any business during the summer and boy do they!  We weren't necessarily crowded to the point of not having a good time but we weren't alone either.  Most of the easy rocks and normal stopping points had people already milling around.  The locals take river boats up to Moccasin Gap to watch all the kayaks and drink beer.  We went with the 9:30am trip but they also had a 11:00am and 1:00pm trip too.  At least one more outfit uses this particular launch spot and stretch of river.  Lots of young people drinking beer, hanging out on the rocks, and doing the typical summer river thing.  We went with Coosa River Adventures which is located just outside of Wetumpka.  The website is:

Coosa River Adventures LINK......

It's $29 for a single kayak, 49$ for a double kayak, and if you want a canoe its $59.  I strongly urge you NOT to use a canoe.  It's bulky and if you turn over......a major pain to get flipped.  They ask you to be there at 8:30am but nobody leaves till almost 10:00 for the 9:30am trip.  You will get on a school bus which takes you to a dirt boat ramp right below Lake Jordan dam.  It's got some deep, slack water you can get used to paddling in.  Past there it's one little shoal after another till you get to Moccasin Gap.  Depending on how much water they are pushing, it can seem challenging but it's really not bad.  They were only pushing 2000cf when we went down it and while it's as low as it ever gets, sometimes avoiding the rocks can be the hardest thing about going down the river.  The trip was roughly 7-8 miles I think and we lollygagged the whole time around the shoals.  We started at 10am and finished at 1:00pm.  That is WITH goofing around.  It's a short trip if you don't waste some time looking around.

We had fun however and so did the other couple we went with.  Its a great way to beat the heat of summer and get out of the house for something a little "different."  I will most likely do this again next year.  The one negative I have is the water is nasty.  I am used to the Tallapoosa River with no smell and clear water.  The whole of the Coosa River chain, including the lakes, are all muddy water.  That is not a complaint however and something I was more then happy to overlook on a hot 95 degree summer day.

Below is a link to me and the wife tackling Moccasin Gap:

Moccasin Gap

Garden 2014....

This is an update to all my current garden children.  I will update as I get things in the ground and start putting the ones I have started from seed into their places.  I have lots going on and more still to go.  I have held back on some of my plantings (unlike last year) because of the crazy weather we have had in Alabama.  Cold, hot, cold, hot, and repeat.  I only have so much room in the house to bring stuff in where the dog doesn't pee on it or the one year old doesn't pull it to pieces.  I have approximate 4-5 more plants to set in soil, some of which are very temperamental as I learned last year.  Below is where I am at right now......

I set this on the back porch and I have three containers that look identical to this one.  I

have always been a sucker for merigolds and this year, I added Sutera Cordata to the

mix.  It's Proven Winner branded as Snowstorm Blue Bacopa. It is a trailing variety and

given the chance, these plants should get along nicely, but will appear rather full.

 Here is one from last year.  A hardy perinnial geranium, this plant is a "Purple Haze" variety.

The foilage is supposed to be purple in the Spring but this particular plant didn't set purple

foilage, only certain leaves had irradecent trim.  The flower is very typical of the geranium

and you can see below, it is a very deep purple.  I didn't get a flower last year and waited patiently

for this year, when it really came back strong and put out leaves quickly.

 This is a Cheddar Pink Dianthus.  Usually this dianthus flower 

appears more full, making the full circle rather then five distinct petals.  Both the color

and the actual petal make-up are very distict on this plant.  It didn't flower last year and

was very curious as to what I had this year.  The foilage is frosted green when mature.  It has

been very tempramental and now I know why.  The harder they are to grown, the more

beautiful the flower. 

 Another plant that wintered over, is this Saponaria Ocymoides, a low growing, trailing,

ground cover that I put in a basket.  It has since spilled out of the basket by two feet

and has put on quite the show this spring with TONS of intracate light pink flowers.  I 

have a place in the yard that I will put this and allow it to spead it's legs a little.  I liked

this particular variety because it doesn't spread is easy to control without it taking over.

I bought this rose bush last year and it was fairly slow growing.  It's a climbing rose
and was quite small last year(it's first year) but when it did bloom, it was gorgeous.
Well, this year it has really taken off.  It's blooms are unique in the fact they change
color through it's life cycle from a bright yellow after opening, to an pink with yellow center,
and ending with a white centered, dark pink rimmed 4" flower.  This was labeled as
the Pinata Rose.  Life cycle goes left to right below.

This is the actual rose bush from above.

Who can hate a knockout rose bush?  This is a mature specimen and I
usually cut it way back each year because it almost takes this particular
area over by end of summer.  It's really blooming now though!

I have a few Iris's and this purple version(don't know the name) is a
fairly small variety.  I inherited it from the previous owners.

My tomato garden is coming right along.  I have Farmstand, Jetstar,
Roma, and Ritebite varieties in this raised garden.  I even have some
peppers on the end for good measure.

And last but not least, a wet dog with slobber and everything.

Tallapoosa River Canoe Trip 2014

Our 2014 trip was reduced due to time constraints........ and the fact we didn't have time to goof off like we wanted too last year.  2013, we did roughly 77 miles in three days starting above Lake Wedowee and ending at Horseshoe Bend.  This year, we cut roughly 27 or so miles off  the previous trip by starting below the R.L. Harris Dam and ending again at Horseshoe Bend Military Park's boat ramp.  This years 50 mile trek in 3 days was A LOT more enjoyable.  We had time to stretch our legs, look around, and weather permitting.....relax.  We had decent weather with drizzly rain the first day, a great second day filled with sunshine, and the last day was pure rain/cloudy/cold.  So, we had a chance to experience a full spectrum of weather conditions on the river.  This continues to be an enjoyable annual trip and Springtime seems to be the best time to go, water level wise anyway.  As a tip to anyone who might try and make a float trip down the Tallapoosa....please remember to bring your life jacket, watch the scheduled water release times from Harris Dam (the river doesn't play), and make sure to register your car with the Horseshoe Bend Military Park at the visitors center before you leave your car there overnight.  The pass they give you lasts for an entire year and only requires your cars tag number.

Things you can expect on the river:

We saw lots of animals and a wide variety of bird life.  There were times when you could see multiple bald eagles at the same time.  Otters are a constant presents on the river but they are shy and one must keep a constant vigil to see one.  Beavers will slap the river at night, angry of your intrusion to their world.  Coyotes and deer can be seen on the rocky hillsides as you pass.  Geese, blue wing teal, wood ducks, mergansers, and grebes can be seen around the shoals looking for dinner.  The month of April see's the highest water levels and those fluctuations are inline with fish migrations up the river.  You will most likely encounter other boaters at the main sections of shoals fishing for white bass, crappie, or spotted bass.

Side Note: 

Please remember that camping alongside the river IS considered trespassing.  While Alabama Power has a leeway of a certain number of feet off the river on both sides, it's still considered trespassing the second you set foot outside your vessel.  The best way to insure a smooth river experience is to plan ahead.  A lot of the people you will encounter up/down the river are extremely nice and the vast majority don't mind the occasional camper BUT.......don't ruin it for everyone and leave trash or start cutting down tree's.  There are spots where campers are welcome but should you encounter a land owner on the river, please remember you are on HIS land and he has the right to ask you to leave if he so chooses. 

The rock cliffs below R.L. Harris Dam....

 We flipped the canoe on the second day and found this little guy inside the canoe (haha).

 The infamous "Canoe in the Tree."  We are always amazed at how powerful the river is.

There is stuff in the tree's, way up in the top of the tree's, from when the water was high all over the river.

 M.G. standing next to the river while we take a break.

 The river can be wide, and shallow in certain spots.  Your required to stay

in the river channel unless you like dragging a heavy canoe.

 The river and ol' trusty the aluminum canoe.  It's a miracle it still floats.